Uncertainty
by artificialcolours
Summary: Canon


I shuffled my chucks across the hallway and sat down on the stairs we always meet. I was the first one there, but I wasn't worried. Alice and Rose barely made it here before the bell rang everyday. They always pick each other up and do god knows what to be this late when they live about five minutes away from the school. I didn't know, and I didn't want to know, and I think I had the same opinion as their boyfriends, Jasper and Emmett, who sat down on either side of me.

I looked up at them and smiled. Jasper was fairly tall and lean with blond hair. Emmett was very muscular and had at least a head and a half on me. Jasper was Rosalie's twin and Emmett was Alice's sister, so everyone was connected in more ways than one. Well, except me. Esme, Emmett and Alice's mother and Ms. Hale, Jasper and Rosalie's mother both treated me like their own, so I was happy.

"Hey Bella, how's it going?" Emmett asked with a goofy grin. How he was so happy in the morning, I'll never know. It's the same thing with Alice. I guess it makes sense. They _are_ siblings.

"Hey Em, Jasper. I'm tired, same as every morning," I mumbled. Emmett chuckled and threw his arm around me.

Jasper gave me a look of mock-disapproval. "You better wake up, because the new kid will be coming in soon. You don't want to make a bad first impression, do ya?" I looked up at him. What new kid?

Seeing my confusion, he rolled his eyes. "Didn't you listen to anything that Alice said Friday at lunch?"

"Yeah. I just kind of zoned out after she started planning her outfit for the dance next week." I loved Alice, but we didn't see eye to eye when it came to fashion.

I guess Emmett felt left out, because he jumped to say, "Yeah! There's a new kid coming today, Bells! He's supposed to be from a private school in Alaska. I wonder why he left the private school scene. Maybe he got kicked out?"

"_Anyways,_" Jasper interrupted, "Here comes Alice and Rose."

They both walked hurriedly over to us and sat down. Alice sat on Jasper's lap, while Rose opted for the railing of the staircase. Alice was tiny, shorter than all of us, with black spiky hair. She contrasted with Rosalie's tall blond body. They were alike in many ways as well. They both carried themselves with confidence, and had no fear of putting people in their place with class. They stood out because most girls in Forks didn't have that. Class, I mean.

"Hey guys!" Alice chirped. Like I said, there was something wrong with people who were energetic in the morning.

The stairs were by one of the side entrances to the high school. It was the closest to the parking lot, and an easy route to run upstairs when you were late. There was one minute left until the bell started when someone opened the door.

Someone I had never seen before entered. He had long, messy bronze hair, and bright green eyes. He had on grey jeans, a plain navy t-shirt, and a leather jacket. His eyes scanned the other students in the area and he must have noticed how his attire wasn't something accepted here.

The other kids turned to stare at him, clad in pastel coloured polo's and brightly coloured shorts. Some of the only people in Forks High School who didn't follow the student-made dress code were Jasper and I. I was wearing black jeans and a red t-shirt, while he was clothed in black shorts and a white baseball shirt. Rose and Alice wore different clothing from the rest of them too, but they were much more expensive and designer, so they didn't get called out for it.

After a few seconds of watching the people passing by the door, the new kid's eyes landed on our little group sitting on the stairs. We locked eyes, and I couldn't stop staring into his green ones until the bell startled me out of my daze. We all got up and started to climb the stairs, while he walked towards the general direction of the office.

While remembering the green eyes that stared into mine, I tripped and fell into Rose. I hadn't noticed the boys turning right to go to Chemistry. It was just Alice, Rose and I walking now.

"Walk much, Bella?" Rose chuckled while offering a hand to help me up.

"Sorry, I guess I got lost in thought," I sighed, as I do this often. Tripping, I mean. I'm not one of the most balanced people in the world, but Alice and Rose seemed to be. Except for that one time when Jasper walked out of his bedroom with out his shirt on during one of our sleepovers. Then they both fell off their chairs. Alice fell off because… I don't know, she was shocked or something. And then Rose fell off because she was laughing so hard at Alice's reaction.

Suddenly, Alice and Rose both had smug smiles on.

"Oh, yeah, I'll let you know right now that we didn't miss the way you were looking over the new kid," Rose smiled.

I internally sighed. They had been trying to hook me up with someone for a while now. They said that I looked lonely when the rest of them went to do "couple things". I liked being alone. I didn't mind spending a night reading and doing homework while they went out separately. I have loved books ever since I was a little girl, and my favourites were like old friends to me. I had hoped voicing these things would get them to forget about my love life, and concentrate on their own, but they thought I was toning things down to make them happier. I was tired of turning down Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie.

Not to say the new kid looked anything like Mike or Eric. He looked like nothing this school had ever seen. Maybe I wouldn't mind going out with him? But what would he want with me, anyways. Like I said, he looked like nothing this school had ever seen, and I doubt he'd take interest in Forks and the people in it.

So I said, "What? I was just looking at him. He _is_ the new kid, after all. Well, class is about to start. See you in Spanish!"

I hurried away from them, and ducked into my Trig room. I sat down in my usual seat, and waited for the teacher to begin. This teacher was a fan of making students suffer, as if learning Trig wasn't bad enough. One of the things he liked was arranged seating, so I was stuck sitting beside Jessica Stanley.

"Bella! Hey! How's your day going so far? I absolutely _love_ your shirt!" she said in her overly cheerful voice.

I was wearing my red t-shirt that I'd had since junior high. This girl was more fake than her tan. She found it fun to be really nice to people's face and then spread nasty rumours about them behind their back.

"Yeah, hi." I said. Unlike Rose, who would have told her to cut the bullshit, I still prefer to be civilized to people like her. I don't trust her, but I don't have to be rude either, especially since I don't listen to the rumours that run rampant in this school.

"Did you hear what Lauren found Karen doing in the washroom? It was _so_ weird. Seriously, you have to hear it…" she continued with an evil glint in her eyes, and I tuned her out. I knew she'd be going on about this for a while, and I had no interest in that topic at all. Since I had to intention of listening to my Trig teacher either, I stared into space.

I wondered how the new kid was holding up in his first class. I didn't think he was the type to break down and cry because he moved schools, but I was still worried about him. Maybe it was because I was a new student a year ago. He seemed to be in a similar situation I was last year, because Alaska and Phoenix, my hometown, were both very different from Forks. It was a big adjustment for me, but it was made much easier by Alice.

On my first day of school in Forks, after I stepped out of the office with my new timetable, Alice came bounding up to me, all cheerful and hyper.

"Hi! I'm Alice, and you must be the new student! We're going to be great friends, I know it!" she said enthusiastically. She then proceeded to hug me tightly and ask me my name.

I was so taken aback, that it took me a while to answer.

_I must have looked like an idiot,_ I mused.

I continued thinking about the new kid, while absentmindedly completing my trig lesson until the bell rang.

I sat down in my seat in between Rose and Alice in Spanish and greeted them both. We waited for the Spanish teacher to run in balancing her papers and coffee, like she did every class. Rose started talking about the dance next week again. It wasn't that exciting of an occasion for me. I mean, I like dancing and all, but not in public. It's one thing to dance around in your PJ's to the latest Cobra Starship song, but to dance in front of the whole school? Not my type of attention.

Would the new kid go to the dance? I imagined him in a dress shirt and black jeans, dancing around in the gym. I must have zoned out again, because the next thing I knew, Alice was waving a hand in front of my face, and Rose was poking my shoulder lightly.

"Have you decided to become an astronaut, Bella? Is there something we should know?" Rose smiled, referring to my sudden tendency to stare out into space.

"Sorry guys. Just thinking about things," I said quickly.

"What kind of things?" Alice asked with a suspicious grin. Crap. I was never good with making up a lie on the spot. Sure, I could pull off a well planned one, but I can't make them up on the spot. It's not like I make a habit of lying to my best friends, but what was I supposed to say? _Oh, yeah guys. I was just day dreaming about the new kid dancing in half-dress attire._

"Umm… about… Spanish?" I said weekly. There was no point in actually trying to make a good excuse. They probably knew what I was thinking, anyways. They were really good at reading me.

"Suuure, Bella," Rose said, dragging out the 'u' in sure to showcase her doubt, "We're talking about this at tomorrows sleepover."

We try to have sleepovers every week or two, to catch up with each other since some of us don't have any classes together, like Emmett and I. We rotate houses each sleepover, so our parents don't have a fit every time we have one. The sleepovers were fun, after I learned how to say no to Alice's makeovers. It was really bad when I first moved here. Not that she was bad, but the processes usually turned out to be painful. Now I only let her give me one on occasion.

After I groaned at Rose's comment, they started talking about the dance again. I joined in this time, with new enthusiasm. Inside, I knew why, but I didn't want to admit it. At least not yet.

After Spanish, I hugged Rose and Alice goodbye, and made my way downstairs to my English class. It amazed me how Forks High School had so little students, yet they all still managed to walk in front of me slowly, effectively blocking my pathway. Apparently, someone had the same thoughts as me, because a few seconds later, I saw a bunch of people being shoved slightly out of the way to the right of me. I couldn't see who was doing it, but I was silently thanking them.

I followed the convenient path that the person had shoved clear. I still couldn't see him or her, due to the people who started to gather.

"Hey! What the hell, man? Wait like everyone else," Eric shouted angrily.

"Stay the fuck out of my way, and it won't happen again," said a smooth dangerous voice.

I decided to get the hell out of there before a fight broke out, but I realised that my English room was about three steps away. I walked into the classroom, trying to decide if the boy who had threatened a whole hallway of people was brave, or just stupid. That is, until I saw the back of a blond dude sitting in my seat.

"Mike, you're in my seat," I said a little frustrated. Mike Newton was _not_ one of my favourite people. It gets really annoying when he does the same thing to you every week. He asks me out, and then when I refuse, he goes off on some speech about how he's the "top dog, yo" and that I'd be lucky to be with him. Then he comes up next week and does the same thing. It has become a cycle that I could defiantly live with out.

"Oh, I know. Angela, here, has agreed to tutor me for extra credit," he said smirking. I have no idea why. Maybe just to annoy me.

I looked over at Angela, my friend, and one of the only people in Forks who kept to themselves. She looked like she wanted to smack Mike over the head with her book, but she smiled apologetically at me.

"It's alright, Ang. I'll go find an empty seat," I said.

The only problem was that when I turned around, everyone was already in their seats. I scanned the room for a desk, praying that I didn't have to go to another classroom to get one. As my eyes reached the last row, I saw the only chair left unoccupied. It was behind the desk attached to the new kid's.

I didn't know whether I felt more like grinning and running to him, or hiding behind Angela. _Why am I so freakin' nervous? _I asked myself, _It's not like there's never been a new student before._

Instead of doing either, I decided to walk up to my seat, and sit down like a normal person would. I smiled at him and extended my hand.

"I'm Bella Swan," I said confidently as he shook my hand, "It's nice to meet you."

"Hello Bella, I'm Edward Cullen," he said as he gave me a gorgeous crooked smile. I recognized the voice that had told Eric Yorkie to stay the fuck out of his way.

_The girls are going to love him,_ I thought, _I guess it's not going to only be me getting butterflies around him._

I was about to continue talking to him when our teacher clapped her hands.

"Class, if you haven't noticed yet, we have a new student. Edward, please come up here and introduce yourself," she almost yelled. It seemed even the teachers had noticed Edward's model-like appearance.

He rolled his eyes and smiled at me before swiftly walking up to the front of the class.

"My name is Edward Cullen, and my family is from Alaska," he said in a bored voice. I guessed he had done this in his other two classes, based on when I moved here.

"Is that all you have to say? Don't you want to say more about yourself?" the teacher almost begged him.

_This must get really old, fast, for him, _I thought.

"No." he said simply before returning to his seat. I liked his style.

"I could do with out having to say that in every class, that's for sure," he whispered.

"I know how you feel. I was the new kid last year and had to go through all of this," I told him, "By the way, you might want to stay away from Jessica Stanley."

I couldn't help giving him that little bit of advice. He would probably thank me for it later, and I couldn't stand to have her around him. Why I felt protective over him and his reputation, I have no idea.

"Yeah, I already figured that out. I just had French with her," he moaned. I couldn't help but laugh at the look of pure exasperation on his face.

"Bella! I thought we were friends!" he pouted as he feigned hurt.

I laughed and patted his beautifully messed hair, secretly ecstatic that he called me his friend.

"Of course we're friends!" I smiled, "And just to prove we are, give me your timetable."

He handed it over, his eyes questioning me. I looked it over and smiled back up at him.

"Which do you want first? The good news or the bad?" I teased.

"Hmmm, the bad news."

"Well, last period today, you share Bio with Jessica again---"

Before I could finish, he interrupted me with a loud groan.

"Mr. Cullen. Is there a problem?" she questioned. Apparently she was still pissed off that he hadn't given her the time of day. Well, I guess we were rather loud, because half the class was watching us. Mike was giving Edward a death glare. Angela turned to face him, and told him to pay attention, rolling her eyes at me.

"No, we're good," Edward replied calmly.

As the teacher stomped away, I said, "You didn't let me finish. You still have good news left!"

_Oh shit. I'm flirting. I never flirt. What's wrong with me? ,_ I panicked.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Please continue," he apologized.

"Well, you already know now that you have Bio with Jessica, but the good news is that I share that class with you as well," I smirked coyly.

"Well, that _is_ good news, Bella," he smiled crookedly again. I think I was starting to become addicted to it.

Trying not to show how much he affected me, I turned to look out the window.

"Damn. Raining again," I muttered.

"April showers bring May flowers," he recited.

I started laughing. He thought it only rained frequently in April? He had some learning to do.

"Not in Forks, Honey," I smiled at him, still laughing, "Around these parts, it rains pretty much all year 'round."

Did I seriously say 'around these parts'? Did I think I was in a western movie? I was to giddy for my own good.

He groaned loudly again. I guess he didn't like rain either.

"Hey! I'm from Phoenix! You're from Alaska! You'll get used to it faster than I will," I said, the bell almost cutting me off.

We said goodbye, and went our separate ways, with the rest of the class watching the whole time. I didn't think they had stopped watching since I sat down beside him.

After dropping my books off in my locker, I walked to the cafeteria, meeting Alice and Jasper along the way. We sat down at our usual table, and waited for the others.

I spent the first five minutes of lunch inspecting the tables for Edward, though I didn't find him. I turned back around to find that Rose and Emmett had joined us. Alice was giving me that knowing look again, and Jasper was looking at me, confused. He always knew how everyone was feeling. I guess he was feeling my slight disappointment.

I ate my lunch quickly, anxious to get to biology. The others were looking at me like I was crazy.

"You look like a chipmunk!" Emmett laughed.

I realised my cheeks were stuffed with the pasta I was eating. Maybe I was a little bit _too_ anxious to get to bio.

_Eating food dangerously fast won't make the bell ring sooner, Bella,_ I scolded myself.

I swallowed my food carefully, and stuck my tongue out at Emmett.

"So, Bella, I heard you got friendly with the new boy," Alice said innocently, her eyes sparkling. I knew that look, and it never meant she was up to anything good.

"Mhmm. He's nice. His name is Edward Cullen," I informed her. "Wait. How do you know that? That was last period. Are you spying on me Alice?"

_News sure gets around fast these days._

"Nope! I just had a feeling you would get along with him," she smiled, still looking innocent, while sharing a look with Rose.

I looked over at Emmett and Jasper questioningly, and they shrugged, obviously as out of the loop as I was.

"What did you guys talk about?" Rose asked, now smiling the same too-innocent smile that Alice was.

"Oh, nothing," I started nervously. I knew where this was going. "Just about how much he liked Forks, and the weather." That was true. Mostly.

That was the moment that Mike chose to walk by, not noticing us watching him, whining to one of his friends, Tyler.

"Yeah, and the way she was flirting with the stupid new guy," he complained loudly, "I hate him." My eyes widened a bit. I tried to keep my cool, but he continued.

"Well, you have bio with Jess but the good news is that you have it with me too." he mocked me in a high pitched voice.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. See why I reject him twice a week?

"Fuck off, Mike," I snarled at him.

I felt better watching Mike turn around with wide, scared eyes, and hurry away, but that only lasted for a minute. I felt a lot more nervous after I turned back to my friends. Now that they knew it was me for sure that was "flirting" with Edward, I was sure to get hell from Alice and Rose. Not that they'd make it hard for me on purpose. They would just be really happy and try to get me to ask him out for the rest of the year.

Sure enough, when I looked at them, Emmett and Jasper had on expressions of pure amusement, as they usually did when I told Mike off, and Alice and Rose had looks of knowing. Wait, knowing? What's with the knowing faces the whole day? It was starting to get annoying.

_They always know what's going on inside my head, _I thought. _Well, most of the time, anyways._

I sat there for the rest of lunch, not really participating in conversation. I nearly ran when the bell rang, but I refrained myself, and walked at a normal pace to my locker after saying goodbye to everyone.

I entered the biology room and sat beside my usual lab partner, Ben Cheney, Angela's boyfriend at the table near the back of the classroom.

"Hey Bella," Ben said in his usual friendly voice.

"Hello Ben," I replied, just as I noticed my Bio binder was missing. I must have forgotten it on the cafeteria table in haste to get there.

"I forgot my book, I'll be right back!" I said in a hurry as I dashed out of the room.

I grabbed the book from the table and speed-walked to the Bio room again. When I entered the room, my seat beside Ben was no longer empty.

"Sorry Bella!" Ben called to me as I sat in another empty seat.

While I was gone, Mr. Banner must have assigned Edward to my already taken seat, because that's where he was sitting. Ben was a really nice guy, but he had issues with conflict. He didn't like to speak up in class, as smart as he is. Teachers and most other students intimidate him, so I let it go, even though I now had to sit beside Jessica _again._

I mustered up a smile and gave him the thumbs up before turning around to face Mr. Banner.

"Okay, it's the time of year we review Mitosis and Meiosis," Mr. Banner said over the loud groans of the class. I didn't know why, they were both easy to remember.

I finished the review sheets that were for homework. There was still time left for class, and Jessica who wasn't even attempting to do her sheets, starting talking to me as soon as I finished.

"Oh my gosh. So Bella, I know that you already talked to the new guy and all, but what's up with you and him?" she practically screamed at me. When do people learn about indoor voices? Kindergarten? Apparently not Jessica…

"Uhh, yeah, he's pretty cool. His name is Edward—" I started, but she interuped.

"Oh, I already know his name and where he's from," she rushed me impatiently, "I want to know what's up with you and him."

I felt like slamming my head on the lab table. I talked to the guy once on his first day here, and there are already assumptions. Oh well, let them talk.

"There's nothing 'up' with us, Jessica. I talked to him in class." I sighed.

"Oh good," she continued, not missing a beat, "because he's totally weird. I mean, you know he pushed Eric this morning? I heard that he got kicked out of school in Alaska for—"

I cut her off. I'm not usually like Rose or Alice. I take and ignore most of the stuff that gets thrown my way, but for some reason, I was compelled to stop this.

"Okay Jessica, let's get this straight. Edward had been enrolled in this school for less than a day, and you already have him pegged as 'weird' for doing what you know everyone wants to do in the hallways. Then you either make up, or pass on a made up rumour about him, that you know is probably not true. I can tell you right now that I'm not the one who needs advice." I said in a cool voice before slipping out of my seat and leaning against the wall by the door frame when the bell rang.

Jessica huffed and stomped out of the room, and Ben came to join me by the door.

"Nice Bella," he said before giving me a high five, "I wish I could do that to Mike freaking Newton. He annoys me to no end."

"Join the club," I snorted.

Edward was approaching the door we were standing by, walking stiffly.

"Hey Edward!" I called to him.

He stopped for a moment, long enough to give me a cold glare over his shoulder before continuing out the door.

"Okay, that was weird. I'll see you later Bella," Ben said confused as he left after him.

_You've _got _to be kidding me. I thought I finally did something right, standing up for someone. It figures with my luck that right after he'd hate me. The world loves me, _I thought sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and trudged out to my truck, getting angrier each step.

_What was this guy's problem? _I thought as I saw him slide into his shiny silver Volvo.

I woke up early the next day so I could pack my things for the sleepover at Alice and Emmett's house. I finished that fairly quickly, and then I got changed and washed for school. I left a note for Charlie, my dad, reminding him about my absence and the leftovers in the fridge. I still had ten or so minutes before I had to leave for school, so I went back up to my room and pressed play on my stereo.

"Pop-Punk Is So '05" started blasting in my room, and I began dancing crazily around my bed. My mood raised as the song played on, and I continued dancing. I forgot about Edward being an asshole, and started looking forward to the sleepover. Nothing like a little Cobra Starship mix tape to start the day.

As "Pete Wentz Is the Only Reason We're Famous" started playing, I stopped dancing. It was hard, but I managed. I was feeling confident and a little bit spunky, so I threw a scarf over the hoodie I was wearing.

I turned my stereo off when the song finished and swung my plain black backpack over my shoulder, grabbed my keys and headed out the door.

I drove my red Chevy truck to school, listening to my iPod that was jammed in my backpack. I was still in a good mood, and even knowing that I had Physics next didn't slow it down. I walked into the school, not bothering to turn off my iPod, even though they were forbidden on school property. I practically danced to the stair well where Jasper and Emmett were waiting for everyone, bopping my head side to side. It's hard to refrain from dancing when listening to Forever the Sickest Kids.

I was still dancing when Rose and Alice showed up, only moving my shoulders now too.

"Everyone got their things for tonight?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I remembered the speakers this time, Ali," Jasper said.

I was about to add that I too had brought everything, when Edward Cullen walked in through the side door and my good mood went down the drain.

I'm sure every one of my friends sitting on the stairs with me noticed the second glare Edward gave me since yesterday.

"Bastard," I mumbled under my breath, not that it stopped them from hearing it.

Emmett looked like he wanted to smack Edward upside the head, and Jasper was tense, but Rosalie gave them both a look, while Alice was giving me one of her own. My excitement over the sleepover was now gone completely, as I knew now that it would be spent discussing me being sort-of-rejected by Edward "the new guy" Cullen.

Fun.

Emmett, still not sure what was going on (like everyone else) gave me a one armed hug for support before I left for first period.

Physics and Phys. Ed. were both equally as torturous as they usually were, and I was distracted in Chemistry. After that I decided to stop thinking, and lunch and business class flew by. I was walking across the parking lot before I knew it.

When I was pulling out of the lot, a shiny silver Volvo cut me off and sped down the road. I seemed like he was _trying_ to piss me off.

_I am a strong person with four best friends, and a good life. Why be a lesser person because of a person you just met yesterday? _I thought.

So I drove to Alice and Emmett's house, abiding the speed limit, feeling like I accomplished something.


End file.
